Medium Tandoor

Build Your Own DIY Tandoor Oven from Flower Pots

THIS PAGE NOT COMPLETE hope to have this complete by 21st Feb

Hopefully you have read the Small Tandoor build as this is the same again, but scaled up. The hardest part of this this build is finding the large outer pot. There are not many large pots around, and they also come with a price premium.

If you watch the video below you can see that I made this Tandoor in minutes. My in-laws were having a BBQ so took the kit with me and built the Tandoor there. The only thing you didn’t see is me cutting the top off one of the pots, and cutting the ring. I did this at home with the angle grinder and it took between 5-10 minutes. I would recommend using an angle grinder as it is so much easier, and quicker. Angle grinders can be a bit scary, mainly because of the noise. But when handled properly they are a joy to use. Again I have a video for this, and I would recommend soaking the pot in water to keep the dust down. I did not do this in the video, and you can see the dust it generates.

Build your Own Tandoor Frequently Asked Questions

Now for the list of frequently asked questions that came out of this build.

Tandoor Build FAQ – Cleaning

This has to be the number on question I get asked, how do you clean the inside of the tandoor? For the large oven it is easy, basically the opening is so wide I can clean using a dustpan and brush. For the small and medium tandoor I use a long stick to push the ash through the holes in the bottom. Both ovens are on bricks with a saucer underneath to collect the ash. As this is a common question, I made this video

Tandoor build FAQ – Insulation

The next popular question is what is the insulation you use and where do you get it from. I use vermiculite which is a fire proof insulation. In the UK you can get it from builders merchant, fire place stores as well as garden centres and some DIY stores. I found the best price from builders merchants and Ebay as can get large 100l bags.

Some people have used perlite and have been pleased with the results. I might be tempted to give that a go next time, but more than happy with the vermiculite.

I have seen examples of people using clay beads, stones or small rocks for insulation. They have said it does give some insulation, but they struggle to make the really high internal temperatures.

Another common insulation people use is sand, and i hear mixed reviews. Some people are perfectly happy with the results from sand, where as others that the outer pot cracked. I am guessing because so much heat is transferred to the outer pot.

Personally knowing how hard it is to find a good large outer pot and at the right price, I would not risk using sand. As I write this my oven is 3 1.2 years old and there are no signs of cracks on the outside pot. I can be cooking all day and still the side are at a normal temperature.

Tandoor build FAQ – Cracked pots

This brings us on nicely to do I have a problem with cracked pots. For the outer pot – No, see my last comment about insulation. For the inner pots I have had cracks. The top inner pot was perfect for 2 1/2 years, then one day I overloaded the oven with charcoal. To make matters worst the oven was damp. The oven shot up higher than it have ever been. To give you an idea my temperature gauge goes up to detail and pic, the temperature gauge went up to detail, the temperature went off the scale and the glass cracked. So I have no idea what the final temperature was, but I think I basically had a furnace. Needless to say the pot cracked, and all down to my stupidity. On a positive note I have a lesson learnt and something to share with you. Saying all that the crack has not affected the performance of the oven and I am still using it to cook with. I have attempting repairing it, but the crack still appears when the oven gets hot. But as I say it does not affect the performance and I still use it the same as before. As always I made a video of the repair. more on bottom crack